1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a system and assembly for purifying/sanitizing the water of a swimming pool utilizing a chlorine generator and a ionization mineral filter collectively structured as a replaceable, unitary assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is universally recognized that the proper maintenance of swimming pools, regardless of their size or location, is a continuous procedure. In addition to the physical cleaning of both the submerged and exposed surfaces of the swimming pool, it is necessary to maintain water purity in order to ensure that the use of the swimming pool does not present health hazards. Accordingly, it is important to have a reliable maintenance system for purifying water within the swimming pool. As with most maintenance procedures both cost and reliability are major concerns. In many situations involving conventional systems and apparatus for treating the swimming pool water, the water is purified to remove microorganisms, such as bacteria or algae. In addition, harmful metal ions, such as mercury and lead are also removed.
Typically, conventional water maintenance and purifying systems have been known to include mineral filters having a variety of structural configurations, which are specifically directed to remove the aforementioned potential a harmful metal ions. However, the control of bacterial growth in the swimming pool water has presented more complex problems normally addressed by the adding of chemicals such as chlorine. Water treatment also involves the concurrent determination and regulation of the ph level of the water once such purifying chemicals have been added.
While large public or private swimming pools may include stored chlorine gas systems which allow the controlled addition of gaseous chlorine into the pool water, more common residential size swimming pools do not justify the expensive installation and relatively complex operation of such systems. Accordingly, smaller swimming pools typically rely on the manual addition of purifying chemicals, primarily chlorine compounds, in liquid, tablet or granulated particle form. Normally, the chlorine chemical additives are supplied to the swimming pool by periodically adding a fresh supply of the purifying chemical directly to the pool water. As such, a wide variation in the concentration level of the chlorine, once dissolved in the pool water, would develop. Precise regulation of the chlorine level using this method is difficult and often results in equally imprecise or inconsistent control of bacterial growth.
Further, dependent upon the weather, amount of pool use and a variety of other factors, the quantity and frequency of chlorine addition varies. Therefore, while the rate of growth of bacteria and like organic contaminants is generally restricted, the person maintaining the pool is required to monitor the chlorine level at frequent intervals in order to detect when the addition of chlorine was required.
In addition, it is recognized in the pool maintenance industry that the aforementioned mineral filters would gradually become less effective, over a period of time, in removing the contaminant metal ions. While such filters also have the effect of facilitating the purification of the swimming pool water in terms of controlling bacterial growth, it is recognized that more and more chlorine, or other purifying chemical compounds need to be added as the effectiveness of the ionization mineral filters become less and less effective.
One recognized solution to the above problems, was the development and use of chlorine generators. Most commonly, chlorine generators are present in the form of electrolytic chlorinators which operate by electrolyzing a sodium chloride solution through the provision of both an anode chamber and a cathode chamber. The construction of such electrolytic chlorinators typically involves the releasing of chlorine gas by electrolyzing a sodium chloride solution within the anode chamber. In this recognized procedure, positively charged""sodium ions were attracted to the negatively charged cathode thereby serving to liberate the chlorine gas within the anode chamber. The chlorine gas was then released into the swimming pool water in a variety of different ways. Further, in the conventional structural configuration of known electrolytic chlorine generators the anode and cathode chambers are separated from one another by an ion-permeable barrier. This barrier prevents the chlorine gas, liberated within the anode chamber, from mixing with the hydrogen gas, liberated within the cathode chamber. As such brine in the form of the sodium chloride solution was separated from the resulting sodium hydroxide, which is caustic and forms within the cathode chamber.
Regardless of the specific structure and design of known electrolytic chlorine generators, they are frequently considered to be a permanent or at least semi-permanent part of the circulation system associated with the vast majority of swimming pools with which they are used. Similarly, the aforementioned ionization mineral filters are constructed and installed as distinct and separate units, frequently located at the water supply inlet to the swimming pool filtration system or at other convenient locations. As a result, there is no cooperative effort between the respective operations of the mineral filter and the chlorine generator. As a result of such independent operation, the chlorine generator would frequently be required to produce more chlorine as the mineral filter became less effective in order to adequately control the growth of organic contaminants, of the type set forth above.
In addition to the permanently installed nature of most conventional chlorine generators, there existed the problem of providing a brine or sodium chloride solution of proper concentration to the anode side of the chlorine generator in order to produce an adequate amount of chlorine gas. In an attempt to overcome such problems a variety of different structures were designed which were specifically intended to create a properly concentrated sodium chloride solution to the electrolytic plates of the generator. Also such prior art attempts involved the addition of a predetermined quantity of undissolved sodium chloride, such as in the form of rock salt, directly to the interior of the chlorine generator so as to create a properly concentrated brine solution which was eventually fed to the anode chamber of the chlorine generator.
Other prior art attempts involve the provision of a separate xe2x80x9cbrinerxe2x80x9d, chamber or device which accomplished the continuous dissolving of sodium chloride in order to deliver a brine, of proper concentration, to the anode chamber of the chlorine generator. While such attempts to provide a sodium chloride solution may be considered to be at least minimally operable, their operation resulted in a variety of different problems associated with the collection or built-up of salt deposits on certain portions of the electrolytic generator thereby harmfully affecting its performance.
Therefore, there is a recognized need in the swimming pool servicing industry for an effective and efficient system and associated structure for simplifying purification/sanitization of swimming pool water by effectively controlling both the mineral and organic contaminants found in swimming pool water. Such an improved system and assembly should incorporate the recognized benefits of both an ionization filter and electrolytic chlorine generator apparatus. In addition, these two complimentary water treating systems could be made to be extremely cost effective to the extent of allowing a unitized assembly including both of the devices to be periodically replaceable, depending upon the usage, weather, environment, etc. associated with the swimming pool. Further, once installed a combined electrolytic chlorine generator and ionization mineral filter would be cooperatively structured to include a substantially equal operable life. Removal and replacement of a water treatment cartridge or housing, containing both of the devices therein, would be justified from a cost stand point.
The present invention is directed to a system and assembly for purifying and/or sanitizing the water of a swimming pool by inhibiting growth and otherwise regulating the existence of both mineral and organic contaminants. As is well recognized contaminants of the type set forth above include mineral contaminants such as potentially harmful ions including mercury, lead, etc. The aforementioned organic contaminants include bacteria, algae, etc. The former group of contaminants may best be removed or controlled by an ionization process, wherein the latter group of organic contaminants may best be controlled through the addition of purifying chemicals, including chlorine, bromine, etc, to the swimming pool water.
Accordingly, the present invention comprises utilization of a chlorine generator in combination with a mineral filter wherein contaminants of both the aforementioned groups are controlled, thereby rendering the pool water safe for use. In addition, purification of the swimming pool part can be accomplished in an extremely economical manner by incorporating the water treatment system and assembly of the present invention and facilitate adequate maintenance of the pool water in a manner which significantly reduces the amount of time required.
More specifically, the present invention comprises a housing incorporated within the circulation system which is preferably, but not necessarily, disposed-on a water outlet side of the circulation pump facilities which serves to remove and add the water to the main body of the swimming pool. The housing includes a water inlet and water outlet and is structured to define a path of water flow there through between the inlet and outlet. Two structural features of the present invention are the complimentary structuring of the housing and/or a canister to include a chlorine generator and an ionization filter at least partially mounted therein. A unitary assembly comprising the chlorine generator and mineral filter is thereby defined.
In at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chlorine generator may be more specifically defined as an electrolytic chlorinating device incorporating appropriately structured and relatively disposed anode and cathode electrolytic plates. As is well known , the chlorine generator is structured to react with a brine or salt solution so as to release a chlorine gas which is then infused into the path of water flow passing through the housing and outwardly therefrom to the water return for the main body of the swimming pool. The electrolytic chlorinating assembly may of course assume a variety of structural configurations in order to perform intended electrolysis as generally described above.
However, one at least partially distinguishing structural feature of the system and assembly of the present invention is the elimination of any xe2x80x9cbrinerxe2x80x9d or segmented chamber or compartment for the containment of yet undissolved salt (NaCl) as is typically found in conventional electrolytic chlorine generators. To the contrary, the present invention comprises the adding of a predetermined quantity of salt to the main body of water of the swimming pool. The quantity of NaCl added is sufficient to effectively facilitate the electrolysis procedure of the chlorine generator and the release of the appropriate amount of the chlorine gas. By way of example, a preferred concentration of sodium chloride would be substantially equal to approximately one tea-spoon for each gallon of water contained within the main body of water of the swimming pool. The size of the average residential swimming pool being generally between ten thousand to thirty thousand gallons would require some 300 to 350 pounds of salt to be added directly to the main body of water within the swimming pool. While this quantity may initially appear to be somewhat large, it must be understood that the adding of salt may only be required once or twice a year. This amount of salt would not affect the main body of water of the swimming pool to the extent to be noticed by users of the pool. Obviously, the quantity of salt to be added on a predetermined, periodic basis would be based on the size or quantity of the water within the main body of the pool, weather conditions including sun light to which the pool is exposed, the frequency of pool usage and a variety of other factors.
As set forth above, the unitary structural configuration incorporates both of the above described purification/sanitation devices defined by the electrolytic chlorination assembly and the mineral filter. As such, in at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention the mineral filter is more specifically defined as a passive ionization filter which serves to de-ionize or remove potentially harmful metal ions such as mercury and lead from the flow of water passing through the housing and/or canister. In accomplishing the passive of ionization process, metals such as copper, zinc, etc. is maintained in preferably spaced relation to the electrolytic chlorination assembly, but within the same canister or housing and in direct fluid communication with the path of water flow passing there through. Passive de-ionization occurs by virtue of the preferred unitary construction resulting in the mineral contaminants, in the form of the undesirable metal ions, being removed.
One additional advantage of the aforementioned complimentary unitary configuration of both purifying devices in in a common housing or cartridge is the ability to structure both of the aforementioned purifying devices to have a substantially common operable life. This in turn facilitates the removable, replaceable installation of the water treatment assembly of the present invention in the circulation system of virtually any swimming pool facility. More specifically, it is well accepted that known ionization filters will, over a period of time become less and less effective. This normally results in an increased amount of chlorine which must be added to the pool water in order to control the unwanted contaminants therein.
Therefore, cost of the entire purification assembly is greatly reduced by the structuring of each of the electrolytic chlorination assembly and the passive ionization mineral filter to have a substantially common operable life. When such predetermined operable life expires, the entire housing-cartridge-is removed from the circulation system of the swimming pool assembly and disposed of. Replacement of a new cartridge is cost effective due, at least in part, to the fact that each of the electrolytic chlorination assembly and passive ionization mineral filter can be manufactured at a considerable cost savings, once it is determined that each has a substantially common operable life. The predetermined operable life can of course vary but, by way of example only, each of the aforementioned water treatment devices may be intended to operate for approximately a six month period. Replacement of the cartridge/housing after the expiration of the operable life thereby assures continuous control of the unwanted contaminants while minimizing the time which must be spent on water purification/sanitization and other maintenance procedures of the swimming pool facility.
Other structural features which enhance both the efficient operation and convenience of use may include a diagnostic facility incorporated within the assembly and system of the present invention which serves to measure the salt concentration in order to insure that the pool water maintain at least a minimal sodium chloride concentration. Also, the water treatment assembly of the present invention, and in particular the electrolytic plates associated with the chlorine generator may be structured to be self cleaning by utilizing a reverse polarity mechanism.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the provision of a control mechanism which is time dependent and which can be programmed to operate both the circulation system of the swimming pool facility as well as the concurrent operation of the water treatment assembly, including operation of both the electrolytic chlorination assembly and the passive ionization mineral filter.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.